His Greatest Treasure
by Sonny Bunny
Summary: AU. Rapunzel remembers earlier on about her past. What if Flynn and her parted ways without confessing their feelings for one another? Flynn Rider was known as the greatest thief of Corona Kingdom, but was he good enough to steal the heart of a princess?
1. Parting Ways

**SPOILER ALERT, THERE ARE SPOILERS IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN TANGLED**

**A/N: So I couldn't help but start writing something after I saw Tangled, which I _loved _by the way! I loved Flynn, I love a lot of men that have the word Fitz in thier names...Fitzwilliam Darcy, Eugene Fitzherbert...etc. I'll probably write more onto this story, so it's not a one-shot. And also this is my last new story, until I finish all my incomplete stories. I hope to be writing new parts to all my stories once my Christmas break comes! So I hope you guys enjoy this!**

**DC: I do not own Tangled, it belongs to Disney.**

**PLEASE READ THIS OR YOU WILL BE CONFUSED: This is an AU story in which Rapunzel remembered who she was during her festivities around the town square, which in turn caused her to tell Flynn, who at first didn't believe her. They ran to the castle where she was reunited with her parents, and they decided that very night to cut her hair so no one would come after her for its healing abilities and somewhere Mother Gothel turned into a pile of dust. This all happened within that one day, on her birthday, it is now nightfall and Flynn and Rapunzel are standing on the terrace of the castle about to part ways, both not realizing that they feel the same way about each other. And so this is where our story begins: **

* * *

Flynn didn't quite know what to say as he stared down at the elegant stone flooring of the terrace, and her feet—a slow bittersweet smile came across his face, those dainty, fair, adorable feet of hers that never seemed to have shoes on them. To think he had wanted to get this petite, energetic, and somewhat bipolar, ball of sunshine out of his hair as soon as possible and now? He just wanted to hold onto this moment forever. He couldn't even look her in the eyes, but he knew he had to, he had to say—good-bye. He glanced into her eyes willing himself to say anything, but what he saw made any words he was about to say die upon his tongue.

"Rapunzel!" he cried out, looking into her eyes; they were filled with such melancholy, gazed over with unshed tears, she looked as if someone had died. "Good heavens, what's wrong?"

Rapunzel didn't say anything at first, she just stood silent, her bottom lip quivering, and then she spoke. "I _killed_ her, Flynn," she said, her voice strained. "What kind of person am I?"

Flynn blinked at her taken aback. "W-what?" he uttered in his confusion. "Rapunzel, I don't understand. You didn't kill anyone."

"_But I did_!" Rapunzel choked out, raising her hands to clench her now short brunette locks. "My hair! My hair, Flynn! It was keeping my moth…," she let out a frustrated cry," I don't even know what to call _her_ anymore! It was keeping her alive and…and I just let them _cut_ it," her eyes widened at her forbidden act, she shook her head violently at the horror of it. "I wasn't even thinking about it before, but now..," her breath hitched in the back of her throat,"…_I killed her_." She looked up at him, the tears now running free down her cheeks, as she sobbed, "How could I? I am a despicable human being!"

Before he even knew what he was doing, he took her into his arms, holding her close, his right hand cradling the back of her head as his fingers fondled through her hair. He felt her hands clench at his vest as she leaned into him, her whole body trembling from the sobs that racked through her. The cold, sleek gold of her crown pressed against his cheek as he made shushing sounds trying to calm her down.

Flynn glanced up for a second to look beyond her, her parents stood a couple of feet behind her, close but still out of hearing distance, their faces held a look of horror at their daughter's sudden break-down. They began to take a step forward to intervene, but he waved his right hand slightly as a cue that he had everything under control—or at least he hoped he did. They faltered in their approach, glancing at each other and then back at them. They came to a halt seeing that their daughter wasn't in any real harm, which he was grateful for. He turned his attention back to the girl in his arms.

"No, no, no, you're not Blondie," he said using his nickname for her. "You're a wonderful person that cares about everyone, even if they're undeserving of that love." As the words left his lips, he didn't quite know if he was talking more about Mother Gothel or…himself.

Rapunzel pulled back having calmed down, her cheeks slightly red. He suddenly felt very cold from the withdrawal of her embrace. She wiped away her tears with the back of her hand. "You really think so?" she asked, her voice meek.

"Oh, I _know_ so," he smirked at her. "What? Are you questioning the _great_ Flynn Rider?"

Rapunzel gave a small laugh, sniffing her nose. She raised her hands to play with her hair, a habit she often did when nervous, but instead of hair she found air. She glanced at him and then back at the place her hair would normally be, she let out a nervous giggle**. **"Wow, I keep forgetting it's not _there _anymore." He watched as her features turned gloomy once again. It was easy to tell her thoughts were turning back to Mother Gothel.

He quickly tried to change her train of thought. "Yeah, your head must feel a hundred times lighter!**" **he remarked, rewarded with a laugh.

"Yeah, now I just have to get use to this crown," her eyes glanced up at the crown sitting on top of her head," "I'm sorry, you didn't get your crown back after all," she said genuinely.

Flynn raised his hands waving them back and forth in front of him. "No, no, no, I mean it is _yours_." His mouth formed into a cocky smile. "I would have looked _ghastly _in it, anyway." Rapunzel let out a laugh, making her face beam. "But on you it looks…," he trailed off in a daze staring at her more than the crown,"…._beautiful_."

Rapunzel started to turn red at his intense gaze. He shook his head coming out of his trance, lifting his hand to clear his throat. "Besides I never fulfilled my part of the bargain, you never got to see the lanterns."

"No," she turned to look back at her parents, the King and Queen," I got so much _more_." She turned back to look at him shyly through her long eyelashes. "Will you be okay?"

Flynn looked down at the bag of gold he had sat down beside him on the ground—enough gold to buy an island. He still couldn't believe they had given him a reward, and on top of that pardoned him from all his past crimes. What was even more unbelievable was that he had tried to refuse it, but they wouldn't hear any of it.

He crossed his arms. "Oh, you know me, I'll _survive_," he said in jest. "Will…will you be _okay_?" he asked her, his tone quickly changing. He looked down feeling ridiculous; of course she would be okay. Her parents were the freaking King and Queen! She had everything she needed, what was he hoping she'd say? That she needed…_him_?

"Thank you…._Eugene_."

His head snapped up at the sound of his true name upon her lips. He gazed into her eyes as she stared back into his. He wanted to say something, anything! But he couldn't form words past the lump aching in the back of his throat.

And so with a blink she turned away from him to rejoin her parents. He watched as they walked towards the entrance to the castle, the King and Queen's arms draped around their daughter's back—and for a moment, he felt like he understood Mother Gothel's selfish desire to keep Rapunzel locked up, because for an instant all he wanted to do was steal her away and keep her to himself forever.

He picked up the gold, the emotional weight upon his shoulders feeling much heavier as he turned in the opposite direction. Glancing back, he stared at her one more time. "No, thank you…_Rapunzel_," he sighed in his despair forcing himself to look away.

But she belonged to no one—much less him.


	2. Miserably Happy

**A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews! I hope you guys enjoy this next part! Oh, and also I gave the hook hand thug and big nose thug names because I didn't want to keep referring to them as just thugs. :) **

**DC: I do not own Tangled, Disney does.**

**His Greatest Treasure**

**Miserably Happy**

* * *

Flynn didn't really know where he was going that night, nor did he care, he just followed his feet. The sound of gold coins _jingled_ and _jangled _with every step he took as he held onto the bag of gold and it was really starting to get on his last nerve.

He gasped, his eyes widening at the thought. _Him_? Annoyed with the sound of money? He reached up with his free hand to clutch his forehead. Maybe he was coming down with something, or maybe he had taken too many hits to the head. He pulled back his hand to return it to his side but stopped to stare at the smooth, unscarred surface on his palm—the palm _she_ had healed. He let out a sigh feeling conned, because at that moment he didn't feel like she had healed it, but simply had relocated the wound, where it now resided on his heart.

Flynn shook his head, trying to free his mind of these ridiculous, whimsical, and sappy thoughts. He was Flynn Rider, he didn't pine after a girl—girls pined after him. He was just having an off day, yes that was it, a _very_ off day. These things he was feeling were just an infatuation, a passing fancy. Flynn Rider didn't _need_ anyone, he had been doing quite fine by himself for years. But as he tried to convince himself of this, he couldn't quite brush aside the frightening feeling that while Flynn Rider didn't pine after a girl, didn't need anyone, maybe, just _maybe, _Eugene Fitzherbert _did_.

Being so lost in his thoughts, he almost didn't notice the sign post in the ground, until he nearly walked into it. He stumbled back in his footing, staring at the sign like a wild beast that had just jumped out in front of him. His eyes roamed over the sign then widened in horror and utter disbelief.

Of all the places he could have ended up at, it had to be here.

Leaning to the side, he looked down the path to see, the Snuggly Duckling in all its crammed glory. He glared down at his feet—_the traitors_, just standing there in the dirt looking all innocent, as if they hadn't known where they were leading him. They just had to lead him _here_, to one of the places he was most reminded of her. He glanced back over his shoulder and then back to the Snuggly Duckling. He let out a sigh, exhaling through his nostrils and shrugged his shoulders. Why not? He needed a stiff one.

* * *

Opening the door to the Snuggly Duckling with much less robust than last time, he strolled into the bar to be greeted with the sound of a lazy little tune being played on the piano. The Snuggly Duckling was scarce of occupants with only a couple of thugs playing poker at a table, one thug sitting at the bar with a goiter protruding from his neck and one thug with a hook for a hand fiddling with the piano keys.

The hook handed pianist looked up from his ivory beauties, noticing the newcomer to the Snuggly Duckling, his mouth curved into a smirk. "Well, if it isn't the man with the lousy dream," he mocked.

Flynn turned his head lazily towards the one hook handed thug, raising his eyebrows, giving off an unamused expression. "_Ha, ha, ha_," he said dryly. "Did you think that up on the spot, _hookie? _I think you're missing your true calling,_ comedy_." He raised his hand to stroke his chin, giving off the appearance that he was taking it under deep consideration. "Yes, I think you would make a very fine _jester_."

"The name's Humphrey, _Rider_," said the one hook handed thug.

Flynn just stared at him and then without warning busted out laughing. "Your…your name is…is…_Humphrey_!" he gasped out between laughs. He held onto his sides, bent over in laugher, tears spilling from his eyes.

"Something _funny_ about my name, Rider?" said Humphrey raising his hook up.

"_Yes!_" Flynn exclaimed, his voice high pitch from his laugher. "In fact there are _so many _things funny about that name!"

Humphrey just sneered at him, lowering his hook to start playing at the piano again. "Where's Rapunzel?" Flynn instantly turned somber, flinching at the sound of her name. "Shouldn't you two be lying low from the guards?"

"Well, I doubt her _own_ guards would be after her," Flynn said, taking a seat at the bar. He raised his hand at the barkeep. "Give me the strongest thing you have," he plopped his bag of gold onto the counter making the coins _jingle _heavy," and keep them coming."

"What do you mean her _own_ guards?" asked Humphrey, momentary stopping in his playing.

"Where did you get all the gold, Flynn?" said a voice to his right.

Flynn turned his head slightly to see the hopeless romantic thug cursed with a big nose, sitting next to him at the bar. "Why it looks like enough to buy an island…maybe two!" exclaimed the big nosed thug. "Oh, by the way, my name is William," he said holding out his hand.

Flynn glanced down at his hand to see overgrown, yellow, crusty nails, warts, and hairy knuckles. He looked back up with an insolent smile. "_Charmed_."

Taking a hold of the drink the barkeep had just slid down at him, Flynn took a swing of it, the strong alcohol burning down his throat. He coughed slightly taken aback by the overwhelming sensation for a minute then cleared his throat. "Long story short, Rapunzel is the lost princess, she's back at the castle with her parents the King and Queen, they gave me this gold as a reward, _the end_."

Flynn vaguely took notice to Humphrey and William's exclamations of surprise and joy at Rapunzel's great fortune. He didn't really care to take part in their merriment as he took another swing of his drink. But then suddenly he felt someone drape their arm across his shoulder. He glanced at his shoulder to see the hand with overgrown, yellow, and crusty nails dangling from his shoulder. His face twisted in disgust as he turned towards the thug named William.

"Aren't you happy Flynn?" asked William. "You got your dream."

"_He got his dream…," _someone suddenly started singing. "_He got his dream, he got his dream…"_

Flynn closed his eyes tightly. "_Please, don't break out into song_," he said through clenched teeth.

The singing suddenly stopped and Flynn let out a sigh of relief. "Well, aren't you happy Flynn?" William asked repeating his question.

"I'm _happy_," Flynn exclaimed through his clenched teeth," don't I _look_ happy?" a tense, forced smile formed on his face." I am so _happy_, that I can _barely_ contain it...I'm…," his bottom lip started to quiver,"...I'm..," his lips formed into a pout and then he lost it,"…._No!" _he wept, burying his face into his hands as he turned into a blubbering mess. "I'm _miserable!" _his shoulders shook as he sobbed. "What's _wrong_ with me?"

William removed his arm from Flynn's shoulder, and then smiled with a crooked knowing smile. "Me thinks he's in love," he exclaimed.

Flynn's head instantly snapped up, his eyes wide. _Him?_ In…in _love_? He barely knew the meaning of the word, much less what it actually felt like. He didn't have many experiences to draw wisdom from in the matter. Is this why his heart felt so heavy and yet so empty at the same time? Was this how it felt to be in love? As much as he tried to deny, he couldn't, because he knew it to be the truth, somehow, someway, he just _knew_, now that his eyes were open to it—he saw the light.

When had this happened? How did it happen? One moment he had been dreaming about bathing in the sun on his own private island surrounded by piles of money and the next thing he knew all his dreams and thoughts had suddenly morphed into green eyes, those beautiful green eyes of hers. Suddenly emeralds seemed dim when compared to the gleam of her eyes. That shimmer of life, determination, innocence, and trust that was rarer than any royal crown. What he wouldn't give to be the man in sole possession of that treasure. Flynn let out a groan in his misery. His dream had suddenly become _very _touchy-feely.

"I'm in love," Flynn voiced aloud in disbelief,"…I'm in _love_." He ran his hand roughly through his hair**; **it bounced back neatly in place as his eyes grew wider. "This is _terrible_!" he exclaimed. "Why would she ever have me, when she could have a prince? A knight? A baron? The freaking baker! Anyone _but_ me! I'm her kingdom's most wanted outlaw!"

_Was_, he reminded himself, they had pardoned him of all his past crimes. Flynn rolled his eyes. Oh, like that made a whole lot of difference!

Humphrey scoffed at him. "Are you a thief or a…," he trailed off as he watched a rat scurry across the piano, leaning forward he picked up the rat by its tail,"….rat?"

"That's the _whole point_ man!" Flynn exclaimed, throwing up his arms. "I'm a _thief_ and she's a _princess_! Have you not been listening to what I've been harping about for the past five minutes?"

You are a thief," said William. "So make your biggest theft, your last run, and take possession of the greatest treasure you will ever know."

Flynn turned to William with a look that said you've-got-to-be-kidding-me. "How could _stealing_ anything possibly make me look _better_ in her eyes?"

William placed his hands over his heart. "Steal her heart, keep it, don't ever break it, and treasure it always."

I don't know if I can," Flynn said, his shoulders slumping forward, his voice lacking his usual cocky, over-arrogant and yet charming confidence.

"Aren't you Flynn Rider the greatest thief of Corona Kingdom or what?" remarked Humphrey.

Flynn's shoulders straightened as his confidence started to build up again. "Yes…_errr_…," he uttered faltering in his confidence,"…._actually_….I'm not."

"_What?_" exclaimed Humphrey and William in unison.

"Flynn Rider isn't actually my name."

"Really?" said William curiously. "What is it?"

Flynn scoffed, looking clearing amused with the idea, he smirked. "Like I'm going to tell you."

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**Please review! :) Did you enjoy it? What did you think? Have a Flynntastic day!**


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